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			<audio id="soundFile1" src="/audio?file=%2Fsoundfiles%2Fc%2Fcr%2Fcri%2Fcritical%3Fpub_sig%3DsGvqWZ54T0bVBcbl4O%252F3m8fSnw1O79EJzt4vK0pI6aM%253D%23_gb_1.mp32019-03-26.mp3">
              &nbsp;
            </audio><a class="sm2_button" onclick="document.getElementById(&#39;soundFile1&#39;).play(); return false;" deluminate_imagetype="png"></a><a target="_blank" href="https://public.oed.com/how-to-use-the-oed/key-to-pronunciation/">/<span class="phonetics">ˈkrɪtɪkəl</span>/</a></div><div xmlns:m="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:fn="http://www.w3.org/2005/xpath-functions" xmlns:ms="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:xslt" xmlns:dt="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:datatypes" xmlns:avail="java:com.oup.oed.DocExistence" xmlns:util="java:com.oup.oed.Util" class="frequencyBand preEntry"><strong>Frequency (in current use):</strong>&nbsp;
				<a href="http://www.oed.com/frequencybandinformation/6" onclick="viewFrequencyPopup(); return false;" class="frequencyBand6" title="Frequency Band 6" id="showFrequencyBandInformationLink" rel="6" deluminate_imagetype="png"><span></span></a></div><div xmlns:m="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:fn="http://www.w3.org/2005/xpath-functions" xmlns:ms="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:xslt" xmlns:dt="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:datatypes" xmlns:avail="java:com.oup.oed.DocExistence" xmlns:util="java:com.oup.oed.Util" class="etymology preEntry" id="eid7819169"><span id="etymologySpanBlock1"><strong>Etymology: </strong> &lt;  Latin <em>criticus</em> (see <a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44589#eid7818789" class="crossReferencePopup" rel="44589" rev="/view/Entry/44589#eid7818789" onmouseover="javascript:viewCrossReferencePopup(this,&#39;/view/Entry/44589#eid7818789&#39;);return false;" onfocus="javascript:viewCrossReferencePopup(this,&#39;/view/Entry/44589#eid7818789&#39;);return false;" onmouseout="javascript:stopCrossReferencePopup(this);return false;"><span class="xref"><span class="smallCaps">critic</span> <span class="ps">adj.</span></span></a>) + <a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/4478#eid7842024" class="crossReferencePopup" rel="4478" rev="/view/Entry/4478#eid7842024" onmouseover="javascript:viewCrossReferencePopup(this,&#39;/view/Entry/4478#eid7842024&#39;);return false;" onfocus="javascript:viewCrossReferencePopup(this,&#39;/view/Entry/4478#eid7842024&#39;);return false;" onmouseout="javascript:stopCrossReferencePopup(this);return false;"><span class="xref"><span class="smallCaps">-al</span> <span class="ps">suffix<sup>1</sup></span></span></a>.</span><span id="etymologySpanBlock2"></span><span id="etymologySpanBlock3" style="display: none;"></span><a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44592?print#" class="more" id="etymologyMoreLess" onclick="showMoreLess(&#39;etymology&#39;, false); return false;" style="display:none;">(Show Less)</a></div><div xmlns:m="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:fn="http://www.w3.org/2005/xpath-functions" xmlns:ms="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:xslt" xmlns:dt="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:datatypes" xmlns:avail="java:com.oup.oed.DocExistence" xmlns:util="java:com.oup.oed.Util" class="senseSect entryBase"><div class="senseWrap" id="eid7819183"><div class="senseGroup scrollUnit" id="eid7819185" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="top"><div class="corner" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="thesaurusWrapper"><a class="thesaurusRef" href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="javascript:viewThesaurusPopup(this);return false;" rel="th122209/129380/132774/133015/133016/133017|122209/129380/130789/130976/130977/130978/130979">Thesaurus »</a></div>
							&nbsp;
						</div><h3 id="eid7819185">&nbsp;<span class="numbering"><strong>1.</strong></span>  Given to judging; <em title="especially">esp.</em> given to adverse or unfavourable criticism; fault-finding, censorious.</h3></div><div class="frame" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="quotationsBlock" id="eid7819188"><div class="quotation" id="eid7819189"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288240"><span>1600&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">Shakespeare</span> <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0000142">Midsummer Night's Dream</a></em>  <span class="smallCaps">v.</span> i. 54</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				That is some Satire keene and criticall<span style="white-space: nowrap"> .<a href="javascript:void(0);" ref="/oseoReferencePopup?instance=00006923&amp;locus=5.1.54" id="1265467661" instance="00006923" locus="5.1.54" onclick="return(viewOseoPopup(&#39;1265467661&#39;, &#39;00006923&#39;, &#39;5.1.54&#39;));" class="popup oseo" alt="View more context for this quotation" title="View more context for this quotation" deluminate_imagetype="png">
      &nbsp;
    </a></span></div><div class="quotation" id="eid7819198"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288246"><span><i>a</i>1616&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">Shakespeare</span> <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0000144">Othello</a></em> 
		(1622)
	  <span class="smallCaps">ii.</span> i. 122</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				I am nothing, if not Criticall<span style="white-space: nowrap"> .<a href="javascript:void(0);" ref="/oseoReferencePopup?instance=00000011&amp;locus=2.1.119" id="1265467662" instance="00000011" locus="2.1.119" onclick="return(viewOseoPopup(&#39;1265467662&#39;, &#39;00000011&#39;, &#39;2.1.119&#39;));" class="popup oseo" alt="View more context for this quotation" title="View more context for this quotation" deluminate_imagetype="png">
      &nbsp;
    </a></span></div><div class="quotation" id="eid7819208"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288253"><span>1665&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">R. Boyle</span> <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0006433">Occas. Refl.</a></em>  <span class="smallCaps">iii.</span> vi. sig. R7</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				The more Witty and Critical sort of Auditors.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid7819217"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288259"><span>1683&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">D. A.</span> <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0010468">Whole Art Converse</a></em> 49</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				Those that are of a too critical humour approve of nothing.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid7819225"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288265"><span>1828&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">R. Southey</span> <em>Brough Bells</em> in  <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0135470">Ballads</a></em></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				‘What! art thou critical?’ quoth he; ‘Eschew that heart's disease’.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid7819234"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288272"><span>1881&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">J. Russell</span> <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0030550">Haigs of Bemersyde</a></em> Introd. 3</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				It was not in his nature to be either critical or indifferent.</div></div><p class="quotations"><span class="quotationDate" style="display: none;">1600—1881</span><a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44592?print#" class="toggleQuotationsClass" onclick="toggleQuotations(this, &#39;eid7819188&#39;); return false;" id="hideQuotations">(Hide quotations)</a></p></div><div class="bottom" deluminate_imagetype="gif"><div class="corner" deluminate_imagetype="gif">&nbsp;</div></div></div><div class="senseGroup scrollUnit" id="eid7819242" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="top"><div class="corner" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="thesaurusWrapper"><a class="thesaurusRef" href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="javascript:viewThesaurusPopup(this);return false;" rel="th1/94518/96454/96455/96456|122209/122210/125592/126077/126120/126121/126128/126133">Thesaurus »</a></div>
							&nbsp;
						</div><h3 id="eid7819242">†<span class="numbering"><strong>2.</strong></span>  Involving or exercising careful judgement or observation; nice, exact, accurate, precise, punctual. Now <em>Obsolete</em> (or merged in other senses).</h3></div><div class="frame" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="quotationsBlock" id="eid7819245"><div class="quotation" id="eid7819246"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288278"><span>1650&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">Sir T. Browne</span> <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0000092">Pseudodoxia Epidemica</a></em> 
		(ed. 2)
	  <span class="smallCaps">ii.</span> v</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				Exact and critical trial should be made..whereby determination might be settled.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid7819255"><span class="noIndent" id="eid312004701"><span>1654&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">R. Whitlock</span> <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0009447">Ζωοτομία</a></em> 186</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				He is not criticall and exact in Garbes and Fashions.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid7819263"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288290"><span>1693&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">J. Ray</span> <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0135471">Three Physico-theol. Disc.</a></em> 
		(ed. 2)
	  <span class="smallCaps">ii.</span> v. 209</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				I can hear of no body that was so critical in noting the time.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid7819273"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288297"><span>1701&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">C. Cibber</span> <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0090799">Love makes Man</a></em>  <span class="smallCaps">v.</span> 53</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				Well, Madam, you see I'm punctual..I'm always critical—to a Minute.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid7819282">[<span class="noIndent" id="eid330504775"><span>1806&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">W. Herschel</span> in  <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0135472">Philos. Trans.</a></em> 
		(Royal Soc.)
	 <strong>96</strong> 463</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				The air is beautifully clear, and proper for critical observations.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid7819292"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288311"><span>1832&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0017559">Proposed Regulations Cavalry</a></em>  <span class="smallCaps">ii.</span> 37</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				A critical dressing need not be required.]
			</div></div><p class="quotations"><span class="quotationDate" style="display: none;">1650—1701</span><a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44592?print#" class="toggleQuotationsClass" onclick="toggleQuotations(this, &#39;eid7819245&#39;); return false;" id="hideQuotations">(Hide quotations)</a></p></div><div class="bottom" deluminate_imagetype="gif"><div class="corner" deluminate_imagetype="gif">&nbsp;</div></div></div><div class="senseWrap" id="eid7819300">&nbsp;<span class="numbering"><strong>3.</strong></span> <div class="senseGroup scrollUnit" id="eid7819301" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="top"><div class="corner" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="thesaurusWrapper"><a class="thesaurusRef" href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="javascript:viewThesaurusPopup(this);return false;" rel="th122209/129380/130789/130976/130977/130978">Thesaurus »</a></div>
							&nbsp;
						</div><h3 id="eid7819301">&nbsp;<span class="numbering"><strong>a.</strong></span>  Occupied with or skilful in criticism.</h3></div><div class="frame" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="quotationsBlock" id="eid7819303"><div class="quotation" id="eid7819304"><span class="noIndent" id="eid258326575"><span>1641&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">J. Jackson</span> <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0021078">True Evangelical Temper</a></em>  <span class="smallCaps">i.</span> 69</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				The Millenaries, a sect of learned, and criticall Christians.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid7819313"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288322"><span>1766&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">J. Entick</span> <em>Surv. London</em> in  <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0012494">New Hist. London</a></em> IV. 165</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				Of which a critical writer remarks [etc.].</div><div class="quotation" id="eid7819323"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288331"><span>1872&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">J. Morley</span> <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0001659">Voltaire</a></em> i. 25</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				Molière is only critical by accident.</div></div><p class="quotations"><span class="quotationDate" style="display: none;">1641—1872</span><a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44592?print#" class="toggleQuotationsClass" onclick="toggleQuotations(this, &#39;eid7819303&#39;); return false;" id="hideQuotations">(Hide quotations)</a></p></div><div class="bottom" deluminate_imagetype="gif"><div class="corner" deluminate_imagetype="gif">&nbsp;</div></div></div><div class="senseGroup scrollUnit" id="eid7819331" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="top"><div class="corner" deluminate_imagetype="unknown">
							&nbsp;
						</div><h3 id="eid7819331">&nbsp;<span class="numbering"><strong>b.</strong></span>  Belonging or relating to criticism.</h3></div><div class="frame" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="quotationsBlock" id="eid7819333"><div class="quotation" id="eid7819334"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288337"><span>1741&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">C. Middleton</span> <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0004286">Hist. Life Cicero</a></em> II.  <span class="smallCaps">viii.</span> 237</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				Cæsar was conversant also with the most abstruse and critical parts of learning.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid7819344"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288344"><span>1768&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">W. Gilpin</span> <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0096303">Ess. Prints</a></em> 169</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				How far the works of Hogarth will bear a critical examination.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid7819352"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288350"><span>1843&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">Macaulay</span> 
		(<em>title</em>)
	</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				Critical and Historical Essays.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid7819360"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288355"><span>1867&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">E. A. Freeman</span> <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0000112">Hist. Norman Conquest</a></em> 
		(1876)
	 I. App. 585</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				He shows a good deal of critical acumen.</div></div><p class="quotations"><span class="quotationDate" style="display: none;">1741—1867</span><a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44592?print#" class="toggleQuotationsClass" onclick="toggleQuotations(this, &#39;eid7819333&#39;); return false;" id="hideQuotations">(Hide quotations)</a></p></div><div class="bottom" deluminate_imagetype="gif"><div class="corner" deluminate_imagetype="gif">&nbsp;</div></div></div><div class="senseGroup scrollUnit" id="eid7819370" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="top"><div class="corner" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="thesaurusWrapper"><a class="thesaurusRef" href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="javascript:viewThesaurusPopup(this);return false;" rel="th153072/153073/154637/154647/154656">Thesaurus »</a></div><div class="categoriesWrapper"><a class="categoriesRef" href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="javascript:viewCategoryPopup(this);return false;" rel="7819370">Categories »</a></div>
							&nbsp;
						</div><h3 id="eid7819370">&nbsp;<span class="numbering"><strong>c.</strong></span>   <span class="lemmaInDef" id="eid7819372">critical theory</span>
				&nbsp;[translating German <em>kritische Theorie</em>, M. Horkheimer (1937) in  <em>Zeitschr. f. Sozialforschung</em> 245]
			, a dialectical critique of society (esp. of the theoretical bases of its organization) associated with the leaders of the Institute for Social Research at Frankfurt (the Frankfurt School).</h3></div><div class="frame" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="quotationsBlock" id="eid7819378"><div class="quotation" id="eid7819379"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288363"><span>1968&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">J. J. Shapiro</span> tr.  H. Marcuse <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0135474">Negations</a></em> iv. 155</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				The rigorously scientific character that critical theory has always made a criterion of its concepts.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid7819389"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288371"><span>1972&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">M. J. O'Connell</span> tr.  Horkheimer <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0135475">Crit. Theory</a></em> 207</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				The separation between individual and society in virtue of which the individual accepts as natural the limits prescribed for his activity is relativized in critical theory.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid7819399"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288379"><span>1973&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">M. Jay</span> <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0135476">Dialectical Imagination</a></em> ii. 41</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				At the very heart of Critical Theory was an aversion to closed philosophical systems... Critical Theory..was expressed through a series of critiques of other thinkers and philosophical traditions.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid7819407"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288385"><span>1977&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">A. Giddens</span> <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0048069">Stud. in Social &amp; Polit. Theory</a></em> i. 65</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				If there is a single dominating element in critical theory, it is the defence of Reason (<em>Vernunft</em>) understood in the sense of Hegel and classical German philosophy.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid7819416"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288391"><span>1985&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">R. J. Siebert</span> <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0135477">Crit. Theory Relig.</a></em> p. xi</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				J. Habermas's theory of communicative praxis..the most advanced stage in the development of the critical theory of subject, society, history and religion, initiated..by M. Horkheimer..and others in..the so-called Frankfurt School.</div></div><p class="quotations"><span class="quotationDate" style="display: none;">1968—1985</span><a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44592?print#" class="toggleQuotationsClass" onclick="toggleQuotations(this, &#39;eid7819378&#39;); return false;" id="hideQuotations">(Hide quotations)</a></p></div><div class="bottom" deluminate_imagetype="gif"><div class="corner" deluminate_imagetype="gif">&nbsp;</div></div></div></div><div class="senseGroup scrollUnit" id="eid7819424" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="top"><div class="corner" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="thesaurusWrapper"><a class="thesaurusRef" href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="javascript:viewThesaurusPopup(this);return false;" rel="th1/9301/9302/9358/11874/11882|1/2/393/435/436/437/449/450">Thesaurus »</a></div><div class="categoriesWrapper"><a class="categoriesRef" href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="javascript:viewCategoryPopup(this);return false;" rel="7819424">Categories »</a></div>
							&nbsp;
						</div><h3 id="eid7819424">&nbsp;<span class="numbering"><strong>4.</strong></span>  <em>Medicine</em> (and <em>Astrology</em>) Relating to the crisis or turning-point of a disease; determining the issue of a disease, etc.</h3></div><div class="frame" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="quotationsBlock" id="eid7819428"><div class="quotation" id="eid7819442"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288406"><span>1600&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">W. Vaughan</span> <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="1351850">Nat. &amp; Artific. Direct. Health</a></em>  <span class="smallCaps">v.</span> iii. 57</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				The Moone..passeth almost euerie seauenth daie into the contrarie signe of the same qualitie..and..bringeth the criticall daies.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid7819429"><span class="noIndent" id="eid202028991"><span>1601&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">P. Holland</span> tr.  Pliny <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0001447">Hist. World</a></em> I.  <span class="smallCaps">xvii.</span> ii. 500</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				The foure decretorie or criticall daies, that give the dome of olive trees, either to good or bad.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid7819450"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288412"><span>1684&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  tr.  T. Bonet <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0011124">Guide Pract. Physician</a></em>  <span class="smallCaps">iii.</span> 72</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				You may reckon it [the Head-ach] critical, if in a Fever it fall upon a critical day.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid7819461"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288419"><span>1733&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">G. Cheyne</span> <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0026214">Eng. Malady</a></em>  <span class="smallCaps">ii.</span> viii. 203</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				And so the Fever terminates in a critical Abscess.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid7819470"><span class="noIndent" id="eid277058513"><span>1843&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">T. Watson</span> <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0212058">Lect. Physic</a></em> I. iv. 53</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				The moment of exhalation is very transient..It is evidently critical, for the congestion is relieved.</div></div><p class="quotations"><span class="quotationDate" style="display: none;">1600—1843</span><a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44592?print#" class="toggleQuotationsClass" onclick="toggleQuotations(this, &#39;eid7819428&#39;); return false;" id="hideQuotations">(Hide quotations)</a></p></div><div class="bottom" deluminate_imagetype="gif"><div class="corner" deluminate_imagetype="gif">&nbsp;</div></div></div><div class="senseWrap" id="eid7819480">&nbsp;<span class="numbering"><strong>5.</strong></span>  Of the nature of, or constituting, a crisis:<div class="senseGroup scrollUnit" id="eid7819482" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="top"><div class="corner" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="thesaurusWrapper"><a class="thesaurusRef" href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="javascript:viewThesaurusPopup(this);return false;" rel="th1/94518/96454/96576/96582|1/84689/94453/94457/94463/94464">Thesaurus »</a></div>
							&nbsp;
						</div><h3 id="eid7819482">&nbsp;<span class="numbering"><strong>a.</strong></span>  Of decisive importance in relation to the issue. <em title="specifically">spec.</em> <span class="lemmaInDef" id="eid7819485">critical path</span>: the most important sequence of stages in an operation, determining the time needed for the whole operation; frequently <em>attributive</em>.</h3></div><div class="frame" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="quotationsBlock" id="eid7819487"><div class="quotation" id="eid7819488"><span class="noIndent" id="eid316941211"><span>1649&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">E. Reynolds</span> <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0059776">Israels Prayer</a></em> 
		(new ed.)
	 iv. 65</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				Mercies are never..so seasonable as in the very turning and criticall point.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid7819496"><span class="noIndent" id="eid238459587"><span>1673&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  tr.  E. de Refuge <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0042314">Art of Complaisance</a></em> 25</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				There is in the Court, as there is said to be in Love, one critical minute.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid7819504"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288445"><span>1786&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">T. Jefferson</span> <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0019860">Writings</a></em> 
		(1859)
	 II. v. 5</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				That month, by producing new prospects, has been critical.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid7819514"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288453"><span>1849&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">A. Alison</span> <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0035483">Hist. Europe from French Revol.</a></em> 
		(new ed.)
	 II. vii. 216</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				Three hundred horse, at that critical moment, might have saved the monarchy.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid7819524"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288461"><span>1871&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">J. S. Blackie</span> <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0004398">Four Phases Morals</a></em>  <span class="smallCaps">i.</span> 145 
		(<em>note</em>)
	</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				Socrates taught that on great and critical occasions he was often directed by a mysterious voice.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid7819534"><span class="noIndent" id="eid281769185"><span>1959&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  in  <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0135481">Jrnl. Industr. Engin.</a></em> 
		(1962)
	 <strong>13</strong> 508/2 
		(<em>title</em>)
	</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				Critical Path planning and scheduling. An Introduction.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid7819545"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288475"><span>1960&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">Sayer</span>  et al.  in  <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0135482">Factory</a></em> July 75/1</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				The critical path technique forces management to recognize planning and scheduling as two distinct functions. For example, the planning of sequence of roof construction on a building job would be done as a separate critical path analysis operation.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid7819557"><span class="noIndent" id="eid300268409"><span>1964&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">C. Dent</span> <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0073434">Quantity Surv. by Computer</a></em> vii. 114</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				The critical path schedule indicates to what extent an operation may be delayed before the job becomes ‘critical’, i.e. before the completion date must be put forward.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid7819565"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288491"><span>1964&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">K. G. Lockyer</span> <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0068357">Introd. Crit. Path Anal.</a></em> i. 2</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				In 1958, the E.I. du Pont de Nemours Company used a technique called the Critical Path Method (CPM) to schedule and control a very large project.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid7819573"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288497"><span>1964&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">K. G. Lockyer</span> <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0068357">Introd. Crit. Path Anal.</a></em> i. 6</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				This determining sequence is critical to the performance of the project, and is hence known as the <em>Critical Path.</em></div><div class="quotation" id="eid7819582"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288503"><span>1970&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0064503">Daily Tel.</a></em> 13 Oct. 21/4</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				The critical path through a diagram..is the one which takes the longest, because it is on that route the time for completing the whole operation depends.</div></div><p class="quotations"><span class="quotationDate" style="display: none;">1649—1970</span><a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44592?print#" class="toggleQuotationsClass" onclick="toggleQuotations(this, &#39;eid7819487&#39;); return false;" id="hideQuotations">(Hide quotations)</a></p></div><div class="bottom" deluminate_imagetype="gif"><div class="corner" deluminate_imagetype="gif">&nbsp;</div></div></div><div class="senseGroup scrollUnit" id="eid7819590" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="top"><div class="corner" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="thesaurusWrapper"><a class="thesaurusRef" href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="javascript:viewThesaurusPopup(this);return false;" rel="th1/84689/90053/90523/90630/90640/90641">Thesaurus »</a></div>
							&nbsp;
						</div><h3 id="eid7819590">&nbsp;<span class="numbering"><strong>b.</strong></span>  Involving suspense or grave fear as to the issue; attended with uncertainty or risk.</h3></div><div class="frame" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="quotationsBlock" id="eid7819592"><div class="quotation" id="eid7819593"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288509"><span>1669&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">J. Evelyn</span> <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0001434">Kalendarium Hortense</a></em> 
		(ed. 3)
	 42</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				Acquaint them [tender-plants] gradually with the Air..for this change is the most Critical of the whole year.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid7819603"><span class="noIndent" id="eid243117950"><span>1769&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">‘Junius’</span> <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0493904">Stat Nominis Umbra</a></em> 
		(1772)
	 I. iv. 39</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				Considering the critical situation of this country.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid7819610"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288521"><span>1836&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">W. Irving</span> <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0015687">Astoria</a></em> I. 149</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				The relations between [them]..were at that time in a critical state; in fact, the two countries were on the eve of a war.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid7819620"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288528"><span>1883&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0042010">Manch. Guardian</a></em> 17 Oct. 5/2</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				Mrs. H——'s throat was badly cut, and her condition is deemed critical.</div></div><p class="quotations"><span class="quotationDate" style="display: none;">1669—1883</span><a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44592?print#" class="toggleQuotationsClass" onclick="toggleQuotations(this, &#39;eid7819592&#39;); return false;" id="hideQuotations">(Hide quotations)</a></p></div><div class="bottom" deluminate_imagetype="gif"><div class="corner" deluminate_imagetype="gif">&nbsp;</div></div></div></div><div class="senseGroup scrollUnit" id="eid7819628" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="top"><div class="corner" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="thesaurusWrapper"><a class="thesaurusRef" href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="javascript:viewThesaurusPopup(this);return false;" rel="th122209/129380/130267/130604/130605/130611">Thesaurus »</a></div>
							&nbsp;
						</div><h3 id="eid7819628">&nbsp;<span class="numbering"><strong>6.</strong></span>  Tending to determine or decide; decisive, crucial.</h3></div><div class="frame" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="quotationsBlock" id="eid7819630"><div class="quotation" id="eid7819631"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288534"><span>1841–8&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">F. Myers</span> <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0009382">Catholic Thoughts</a></em> II.  <span class="smallCaps">iv.</span> vii. 201</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				The alterations..in our conceptions of the material Universe..are critical instances of the influence [of]..Natural Philosophy..over Scholastic Theology.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid7819641"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288542"><span>1860&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">J. Tyndall</span> <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0001078">Glaciers of Alps</a></em>  <span class="smallCaps">ii.</span> i. 230</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				Here..we have a critical analogy between sound and light.</div></div><p class="quotations"><span class="quotationDate" style="display: none;">1841–8—1860</span><a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44592?print#" class="toggleQuotationsClass" onclick="toggleQuotations(this, &#39;eid7819630&#39;); return false;" id="hideQuotations">(Hide quotations)</a></p></div><div class="bottom" deluminate_imagetype="gif"><div class="corner" deluminate_imagetype="gif">&nbsp;</div></div></div><div class="senseWrap" id="eid7819650">&nbsp;<span class="numbering"><strong>7.</strong></span>  <em>Mathematics</em> and <em>Physics</em>.<div class="senseGroup scrollUnit" id="eid7819654" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="top"><div class="corner" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="thesaurusWrapper"><a class="thesaurusRef" href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="javascript:viewThesaurusPopup(this);return false;" rel="th1/111290/117847/117888/117889/117890/117916">Thesaurus »</a></div><div class="categoriesWrapper"><a class="categoriesRef" href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="javascript:viewCategoryPopup(this);return false;" rel="7819654">Categories »</a></div>
							&nbsp;
						</div><h3 id="eid7819654">&nbsp;<span class="numbering"><strong>a.</strong></span>  Constituting or relating to a point at which some action, property or condition passes over into another; constituting an extreme or limiting case.</h3></div><div class="frame" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="quotationsBlock" id="eid7819667"><div class="quotation" id="eid7819668"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288548"><span>1841&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">J. R. Young</span> <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0069237">Math Diss.</a></em> Pref. 7</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				Even in the extreme and critical case of the problem.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid7819714"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288554"><span>1881&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">T. Matthieu Williams</span> in  <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0135487">Knowledge</a></em> No. 8. 157</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				That Jupiter is neither a solid, a liquid, nor a gaseous planet, but a critical planet.</div></div><p class="quotations"><span class="quotationDate" style="display: none;">1841—1881</span><a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44592?print#" class="toggleQuotationsClass" onclick="toggleQuotations(this, &#39;eid7819667&#39;); return false;" id="hideQuotations">(Hide quotations)</a></p></div><div class="bottom" deluminate_imagetype="gif"><div class="corner" deluminate_imagetype="gif">&nbsp;</div></div></div><div class="senseGroup scrollUnit" id="eid7819845" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="top"><div class="corner" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="thesaurusWrapper"><a class="thesaurusRef" href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="javascript:viewThesaurusPopup(this);return false;" rel="th1/67134/75461/79354/79629/79724/79729|1/67134/75461/79354/79629/79630/79657">Thesaurus »</a></div><div class="categoriesWrapper"><a class="categoriesRef" href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="javascript:viewCategoryPopup(this);return false;" rel="7819845">Categories »</a></div>
							&nbsp;
						</div><h3 id="eid7819845">&nbsp;<span class="numbering"><strong>b.</strong></span>  <em>Nuclear Physics</em>. Of a nuclear reactor: maintaining a self-sustaining chain reaction; esp. in  <span class="lemmaInDef" id="eid7819848">to go critical</span><span class="almostInvisible" id="eid1265467665" xml:space="preserve"> </span><span class="almostInvisible" id="eid1265467666" xml:space="preserve"> </span><span class="almostInvisible" id="eid1265467667" xml:space="preserve"> </span><span class="almostInvisible" id="eid1265467668" xml:space="preserve"> </span><span class="almostInvisible" id="eid1265467669" xml:space="preserve"> </span>, to reach the stage of maintaining such a reaction. Also <em>transferred</em>.</h3></div><div class="frame" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="quotationsBlock" id="eid7819850"><div class="quotation" id="eid7819851"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288562"><span>1949&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">H. Soodak</span> in  C. Goodman <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0135499">Sci. &amp; Engin. Nuclear Power</a></em> II. viii. 91</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				For a critical pile, the fundamental mode, j = 1, is constant in time whereas the higher modes decay.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid7819862"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288571"><span>1955&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0007617">Ann. Reg. 1954</a></em> 393</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				At Harwell the more important news of reactors was that ‘Zephyr’ became critical in February.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid7819869"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288576"><span>1955&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0130772">Sci. News Let.</a></em> 6 Aug. 83/1</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				The possibility of really putting atoms to work for the good of the world will go ‘critical’, to use a term applicable to the atomic reactor.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid7819877"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288582"><span>1957&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0082364">New Scientist</a></em> 26 Dec. 6/2</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				The prototype reactor went critical at the end of 1954.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid7819885"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288588"><span>1970&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0025674">Nature</a></em> 21 Nov. 704/1</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				Sizewell B will be the largest nuclear power station in Britain when the last of its four reactors goes critical in 1977.</div></div><p class="quotations"><span class="quotationDate" style="display: none;">1949—1970</span><a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44592?print#" class="toggleQuotationsClass" onclick="toggleQuotations(this, &#39;eid7819850&#39;); return false;" id="hideQuotations">(Hide quotations)</a></p></div><div class="bottom" deluminate_imagetype="gif"><div class="corner" deluminate_imagetype="gif">&nbsp;</div></div></div></div><div class="senseGroup scrollUnit" id="eid7819893" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="top"><div class="corner" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="thesaurusWrapper"><a class="thesaurusRef" href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="javascript:viewThesaurusPopup(this);return false;" rel="th1/8835/17696/20008/20009/20010/20015/20020">Thesaurus »</a></div><div class="categoriesWrapper"><a class="categoriesRef" href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="javascript:viewCategoryPopup(this);return false;" rel="7819893">Categories »</a></div>
							&nbsp;
						</div><h3 id="eid7819893">&nbsp;<span class="numbering"><strong>8.</strong></span>  <em>Zoology</em> and <em>Botany</em>. Of species: Distinguished by slight or questionable differences; uncertain or difficult to determine.</h3></div><div class="frame" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="quotationsBlock" id="eid7819897"><div class="quotation" id="eid7819898"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288594"><span>1856&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">S. P. Woodward</span> <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0009067">Man. Mollusca</a></em>  <span class="smallCaps">iii.</span> 360</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				Most of these are minute or ‘critical’ species.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid7819908"><span class="noIndent" id="eid199080646"><span>1858&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0053248">Jrnl. Royal Agric. Soc.</a></em> <strong>19</strong>  <span class="smallCaps">i.</span> 104</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				Crossing often renders certain species of plants very ‘critical’.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid7819917"><span class="noIndent" id="eid199096226"><span>1884&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0148514">Jrnl. Bot.</a></em> <strong>22</strong> 128</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				When he..ran down some less familiar or critical species.</div></div><p class="quotations"><span class="quotationDate" style="display: none;">1856—1884</span><a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44592?print#" class="toggleQuotationsClass" onclick="toggleQuotations(this, &#39;eid7819897&#39;); return false;" id="hideQuotations">(Hide quotations)</a></p></div><div class="bottom" deluminate_imagetype="gif"><div class="corner" deluminate_imagetype="gif">&nbsp;</div></div></div></div></div><div xmlns:m="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:fn="http://www.w3.org/2005/xpath-functions" xmlns:ms="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:xslt" xmlns:dt="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:datatypes" xmlns:avail="java:com.oup.oed.DocExistence" xmlns:util="java:com.oup.oed.Util" class="lemSect entryBase" id="eid162864607"><h3 class="lemSectType">Special uses</h3><div class="senseWrap" id="eid7819925">&nbsp;<div class="senseGroup" id="eid162864608" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="top"><div class="corner" deluminate_imagetype="unknown">
							&nbsp;
						</div><h3 id="eid162864608">&nbsp; <span class="lemma" id="eid7819928">critical-minded</span> <span class="ps">adj.</span></h3></div><div class="frame" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="quotationsBlock" id="eid7819929"><div class="quotation" id="eid7819930"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288613"><span>1899&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">W. James</span> <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0055363">Talks to Teachers</a></em> i. 6</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				Where the disciples are not independent and critical-minded enough.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid7819938"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288619"><span>1956&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">A. Toynbee</span> <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0023389">Historian's Approach to Relig.</a></em> x. 128</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				Philosophies have been apt to arise in..critical-minded, disillusioned social milieux.</div></div><p class="quotations"><span class="quotationDate" style="display: none;">1899—1956</span><a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44592?print#" class="toggleQuotationsClass" onclick="toggleQuotations(this, &#39;eid7819929&#39;); return false;" id="hideQuotations">(Hide quotations)</a></p></div><div class="bottom" deluminate_imagetype="gif"><div class="corner" deluminate_imagetype="gif">&nbsp;</div></div></div></div></div><div xmlns:m="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:fn="http://www.w3.org/2005/xpath-functions" xmlns:ms="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:xslt" xmlns:dt="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:datatypes" xmlns:avail="java:com.oup.oed.DocExistence" xmlns:util="java:com.oup.oed.Util" class="lemSect entryBase" id="eid139339769"><h3 class="lemSectType">Compounds</h3><div class="senseWrap" id="eid139339770">&nbsp;<div class="senseGroup" id="eid139339771" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="top"><div class="corner" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="categoriesWrapper"><a class="categoriesRef" href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="javascript:viewCategoryPopup(this);return false;" rel="139339771">Categories »</a></div>
							&nbsp;
						</div><h3 id="eid139339771">&nbsp; <span class="lemma" id="eid139339785">critical angle</span><span class="almostInvisible" id="eid1265467672" xml:space="preserve"> </span><span xml:space="preserve">&nbsp;</span> <span class="ps">n.</span> <em>Optics</em> that angle of incidence beyond which rays of light passing through a denser medium to the surface of a rarer are no longer refracted but totally reflected.</h3></div><div class="frame" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="quotationsBlock" id="eid139339795"><div class="quotation" id="eid7819686"><span class="noIndent" id="eid227117816"><span>1873&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">W. Lees</span> <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0135485">Acoustics</a></em>  <span class="smallCaps">ii.</span> iii. 53</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				This angle is called the limiting or critical angle of refraction.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid139389837"><span class="noIndent" id="eid192602221"><span>1966&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">R. Webster</span> <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="1358401">Pract. Gemmol.</a></em> 
		(ed. 4)
	 vi. 55</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				The angle of incidence which gives an angle of refraction of 90° is termed the critical angle and is usually denoted by the Greek letter theta θ. The critical angle determines the beginning of total internal reflection.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid139389846"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288638"><span>2001&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">R. Gregory</span> in  R. Catlow  &amp; S. Greenfield <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0162457">Cosmic Rays</a></em> 70</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				The light dims at a certain orientation of the Polaroid, showing that at a critical angle, reflection polarizes light.</div></div><p class="quotations"><span class="quotationDate" style="display: none;">1873—2001</span><a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44592?print#" class="toggleQuotationsClass" onclick="toggleQuotations(this, &#39;eid139339795&#39;); return false;" id="hideQuotations">(Hide quotations)</a></p></div><div class="bottom" deluminate_imagetype="gif"><div class="corner" deluminate_imagetype="gif">&nbsp;</div></div></div><div class="senseGroup" id="eid139339796" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="top"><div class="corner" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="thesaurusWrapper"><a class="thesaurusRef" href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="javascript:viewThesaurusPopup(this);return false;" rel="th1/67134/75461/75462/75940/75952/75953/75969">Thesaurus »</a></div><div class="categoriesWrapper"><a class="categoriesRef" href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="javascript:viewCategoryPopup(this);return false;" rel="139339796">Categories »</a></div>
							&nbsp;
						</div><h3 id="eid139339796">&nbsp; <span class="lemma" id="eid7819658">critical damping</span><span class="almostInvisible" id="eid1265467675" xml:space="preserve"> </span><span xml:space="preserve">&nbsp;</span> <span class="ps">n.</span> damping which is just sufficient to prevent oscillations.</h3></div><div class="frame" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="quotationsBlock" id="eid139339799"><div class="quotation" id="eid7819740"><span class="noIndent" id="eid227117822"><span>1908&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">K. Edgcumbe</span> <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0135490">Industr. Electr. Measuring Instruments</a></em> 35</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				It is easy to determine how nearly a given instrument approaches the point of critical damping, by noting how much the pointer overshoots a reading as it flies up to it.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid7819756"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288654"><span>1922&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">R. Glazebrook</span> <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0020268">Dict. Appl. Physics</a></em> II. 373/2</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				In galvanometers of the Thomson type the damping due to induced currents is small, and if critical damping is desired the retardation by air friction must be capable of adjustment.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid7819773"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288661"><span>1933&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  in  J. K. Henney <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0135493">Radio Engineering Handbk.</a></em> §7. 146</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				The smallest amount of damping which will cause the coil to come to rest with no oscillation whatever is called the critical damping, and the coil is said to be critically damped.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid139394580"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288673"><span>1996&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="1318608">Amer. Zoologist</a></em> <strong>86</strong> 681/1</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				The critical damping coefficient is twice the product of the moment of inertia..and the natural frequency.</div></div><p class="quotations"><span class="quotationDate" style="display: none;">1908—1996</span><a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44592?print#" class="toggleQuotationsClass" onclick="toggleQuotations(this, &#39;eid139339799&#39;); return false;" id="hideQuotations">(Hide quotations)</a></p></div><div class="bottom" deluminate_imagetype="gif"><div class="corner" deluminate_imagetype="gif">&nbsp;</div></div></div><div class="senseGroup" id="eid206848509" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="top"><div class="corner" deluminate_imagetype="unknown">
							&nbsp;
						</div><h3 id="eid206848509">&nbsp; <span class="lemma" id="eid206848510">critical idealism</span><span class="almostInvisible" id="eid1265467678" xml:space="preserve"> </span><span xml:space="preserve">&nbsp;</span> <span class="ps">n.</span>
				&nbsp;[after German <em>kritischer Idealismus</em> (1783 or earlier in Kant as †<em>kritischer Idealism</em>)]
			 the transcendental idealism of Immanuel Kant.</h3></div><div class="frame" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="quotationsBlock" id="eid206848513"><div class="quotation" id="eid206848514"><span class="noIndent" id="eid227117828"><span>1832&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">A. Johnson</span> tr.  W. G. Tennemann <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0141006">Man. Hist. Philos.</a></em>  <span class="smallCaps">iii.</span> 405</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				The grand conclusion of the Critical system of Kant is this, that no object can be known to us except in proportion as it is apprehended by our perceptions, and definable by our faculties for knowledge; consequently, we know nothing per se, but only by means of its phenomena. In this consists his Critical Idealism, (being founded on a critical examination of the faculties of knowledge).</div><div class="quotation" id="eid206848525"><span class="noIndent" id="eid206848566"><span>1855&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">J. M. D. Meiklejohn</span> tr.  Kant <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0141057">Crit. Pure Reason</a></em> 166 
		(<em>note</em>)
	</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				Formal or critical idealism—the theory of Kant—which denies us a knowledge of things in themselves and maintains that we can know only phenomena.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid206848536"><span class="noIndent" id="eid206848574"><span>1872&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">J. P. Mahaffy</span> tr.  <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0479483">Kant's Prolegomena</a></em> 62</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				I now retract it [<em>sc.</em> the word ‘transcendental’] and desire this idealism of mine to be called critical.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid206848547"><span class="noIndent" id="eid206848581"><span>1997&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">H. S. Harris</span> tr.  G. W. F. Hegel <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="2160176">Ladder</a></em> I. ii. 147</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				The ‘common sense’ school of philosophy had existed in Germany for about fifty years. They opposed the new critical idealism of Kant.</div></div><p class="quotations"><span class="quotationDate" style="display: none;">1832—1997</span><a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44592?print#" class="toggleQuotationsClass" onclick="toggleQuotations(this, &#39;eid206848513&#39;); return false;" id="hideQuotations">(Hide quotations)</a></p></div><div class="bottom" deluminate_imagetype="gif"><div class="corner" deluminate_imagetype="gif">&nbsp;</div></div></div><div class="senseGroup" id="eid139389858" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="top"><div class="corner" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="thesaurusWrapper"><a class="thesaurusRef" href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="javascript:viewThesaurusPopup(this);return false;" rel="th1/67134/75461/79354/79629/79733/79751">Thesaurus »</a></div><div class="categoriesWrapper"><a class="categoriesRef" href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="javascript:viewCategoryPopup(this);return false;" rel="139389858">Categories »</a></div>
							&nbsp;
						</div><h3 id="eid139389858">&nbsp; <span class="lemma" id="eid120044521">critical mass</span><span class="almostInvisible" id="eid1265467681" xml:space="preserve"> </span><span xml:space="preserve">&nbsp;</span> <span class="ps">n.</span> <em>Nuclear Physics</em> the minimum mass or size of fissile material required in a nuclear reactor, bomb, etc., to sustain a chain reaction.</h3></div><div class="frame" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="quotationsBlock" id="eid7819796"><div class="quotation" id="eid7819807"><span class="noIndent" id="eid227117836"><span>1941&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  in  M. Gowing <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0035391">Brit. &amp; Atomic Energy 1939–45</a></em> 
		(1964)
	 402</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				For a low critical mass, the material must be as dense as possible.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid7819825"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288690"><span>1946&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">E. S. C. Smith</span>  et al.  <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0135497">Appl. Atomic Power</a></em> 202</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				No explosion occurs at all unless the mass of the fissionable material exceeds the critical mass.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid139389863"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288698"><span>2002&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0051547">N.Y. Rev. Bks.</a></em> 7 Nov. 70/2</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				The critical mass..is determined by a competition between escape of neutrons from the surface of the fissionable material and the creation of neutrons in the interior during the fission process.</div></div><p class="quotations"><span class="quotationDate" style="display: none;">1941—2002</span><a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44592?print#" class="toggleQuotationsClass" onclick="toggleQuotations(this, &#39;eid7819796&#39;); return false;" id="hideQuotations">(Hide quotations)</a></p></div><div class="bottom" deluminate_imagetype="gif"><div class="corner" deluminate_imagetype="gif">&nbsp;</div></div></div><div class="senseGroup" id="eid139339800" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="top"><div class="corner" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="thesaurusWrapper"><a class="thesaurusRef" href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="javascript:viewThesaurusPopup(this);return false;" rel="th1/67134/67135/70879/70904/70920/70939/70940">Thesaurus »</a></div><div class="categoriesWrapper"><a class="categoriesRef" href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="javascript:viewCategoryPopup(this);return false;" rel="139339800">Categories »</a></div>
							&nbsp;
						</div><h3 id="eid139339800">&nbsp; <span class="lemma" id="eid120044517">critical point</span><span class="almostInvisible" id="eid1265467684" xml:space="preserve"> </span><span xml:space="preserve">&nbsp;</span> <span class="ps">n.</span> for any particular substance, that temperature above which it remains in the gaseous state and cannot be liquefied by any amount of pressure.</h3></div><div class="frame" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="quotationsBlock" id="eid139339803"><div class="quotation" id="eid139389871"><span class="noIndent" id="eid227117844"><span>1872&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0045675">Proc. Royal Soc. 1871–2</a></em> <strong>20</strong> 5</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				The remarkable phenomena of the voluminal conditions at and near the critical point of temperature and pressure.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid7819695"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288710"><span>1876&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">P. G. Tait</span> <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="1079935">Lect. Recent Adv. in Physical Sci.</a></em> xiii. 336</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				The temperature rises to the critical point, <em>i.e.</em> the temperature at and above which the presence of liquid and vapour together becomes impossible.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid139389879"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288716"><span>1933&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">J. K. Roberts</span> <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0764674">Heat &amp; Thermodynamics</a></em> 
		(ed. 2)
	 iv. 100</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				The liquid and vapour densities..are determined as near to the critical point as is practicable, and..the results are extrapolated to the point itself.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid139389888"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288723"><span>1961&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">N. C. Breddy</span> <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0948188">Introd. Refrigeration</a></em> iii. 25</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				Carbon dioxide is the only refrigerant which has a low critical point temperature, this being 87.8°F. with a corresponding pressure of 1069 lb. per sq. inch.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid139389896"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288729"><span>2000&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">P. W. B. Semmens</span>  &amp; <span class="smallCaps">A. J. Goldfinch</span> <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0396431">How Steam Locomotives really Work</a></em> i. 15</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				A vapour only becomes a gas when its temperature has been raised above its ‘critical point.’</div></div><p class="quotations"><span class="quotationDate" style="display: none;">1872—2000</span><a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44592?print#" class="toggleQuotationsClass" onclick="toggleQuotations(this, &#39;eid139339803&#39;); return false;" id="hideQuotations">(Hide quotations)</a></p></div><div class="bottom" deluminate_imagetype="gif"><div class="corner" deluminate_imagetype="gif">&nbsp;</div></div></div><div class="senseGroup" id="eid139339804" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="top"><div class="corner" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="thesaurusWrapper"><a class="thesaurusRef" href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="javascript:viewThesaurusPopup(this);return false;" rel="th1/67134/75461/78781/78800/78801/78808/78812">Thesaurus »</a></div><div class="categoriesWrapper"><a class="categoriesRef" href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="javascript:viewCategoryPopup(this);return false;" rel="139339804">Categories »</a></div>
							&nbsp;
						</div><h3 id="eid139339804">&nbsp; <span class="lemma" id="eid139339805">critical potential</span><span class="almostInvisible" id="eid1265467687" xml:space="preserve"> </span><span xml:space="preserve">&nbsp;</span> <span class="ps">n.</span> = <a class="crossReferencePopup" rev="/view/Entry/99326#eid32043" rel="99326" href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/99326#eid32043" onclick="javascript:window.location = this.href;" onmouseover="javascript:viewCrossReferencePopup(this,&#39;/view/Entry/99326#eid32043&#39;);return false;" onfocus="javascript:viewCrossReferencePopup(this,&#39;/view/Entry/99326#eid32043&#39;);return false;" onmouseout="javascript:stopCrossReferencePopup(this);return false;"><span class="xref"><em>ionization potential</em> <span class="ps">n.</span> at <span class="smallCaps">ionization</span> <span class="ps">n.<sup>2</sup></span> Compounds</span></a>.</h3></div><div class="frame" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="quotationsBlock" id="eid139339816"><div class="quotation" id="eid7819748"><span class="noIndent" id="eid227117850"><span>1916&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0353188">Physical Rev.</a></em> <strong>7</strong> 687</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				To determine this critical potential more accurately, and..to demonstrate whether or not ionization took place there, current-potential curves were taken.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid7819765"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288743"><span>1931&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0530489">Rev. Mod. Physics</a></em> III. 347</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				Bohr's theory was so quickly supported by the experiments on critical potentials.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid139428405"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288749"><span>1950&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0186055">Proc. Royal Soc.</a></em> A. <strong>250</strong> 68</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				The dependence of striation formation on the distribution of critical potentials, the ionization balance and the effects of negative ions will also be dealt with.</div></div><p class="quotations"><span class="quotationDate" style="display: none;">1916—1950</span><a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44592?print#" class="toggleQuotationsClass" onclick="toggleQuotations(this, &#39;eid139339816&#39;); return false;" id="hideQuotations">(Hide quotations)</a></p></div><div class="bottom" deluminate_imagetype="gif"><div class="corner" deluminate_imagetype="gif">&nbsp;</div></div></div><div class="senseGroup" id="eid139339817" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="top"><div class="corner" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="thesaurusWrapper"><a class="thesaurusRef" href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="javascript:viewThesaurusPopup(this);return false;" rel="th1/67134/67135/70879/70904/70920/70939/70941">Thesaurus »</a></div><div class="categoriesWrapper"><a class="categoriesRef" href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="javascript:viewCategoryPopup(this);return false;" rel="139339817">Categories »</a></div>
							&nbsp;
						</div><h3 id="eid139339817">&nbsp; <span class="lemma" id="eid139339818">critical pressure</span><span class="almostInvisible" id="eid1265467690" xml:space="preserve"> </span><span xml:space="preserve">&nbsp;</span> <span class="ps">n.</span> the pressure required to liquefy a gas at its critical temperature.</h3></div><div class="frame" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="quotationsBlock" id="eid139339821"><div class="quotation" id="eid139339822"><span class="noIndent" id="eid227117856"><span>1879&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0004448">Encycl. Brit.</a></em> VIII. 732/1</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				Clerk Maxwell has calculated that the critical temperature for water should be about 434° C., the critical pressure about 378 atmospheres, and the critical volume about 2·52 cubic [<em>printed</em> cubit] centimetres per gramme.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid7819724"><span class="noIndent" id="eid210296742"><span>1884&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0338997">London, Edinb. &amp; Dublin Philos. Mag.</a></em> 5th Ser. <strong>18</strong> 212</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				These cooling agents may be said to lower the temperature sufficiently to produce liquid oxygen, provided a pressure of the gas above the critical pressure, which is 50 atmospheres, is at command.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid139339832"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288775"><span>1899&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">T. O'C. Sloane</span> <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0135489">Liquid Air</a></em> i. 20</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				When a gas is at the critical temperature and at the critical pressure also, the least increase of pressure or decrease of temperature will convert it into a liquid.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid139389918"><span class="noIndent" id="eid308598972"><span>1922&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">T. M. Lowry</span> <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0004795">Inorg. Chem.</a></em> xxii. 248</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				The critical temperature of water, above which it cannot be retained in a liquid state, is 374°; at this temperature water has a density of only 0.329 and exerts a maximum vapour pressure or critical pressure of 217 atmospheres.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid139389931"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288787"><span>2004&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">A. Moisseytsev</span>  &amp; <span class="smallCaps">D. T. Matonis</span> in  <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="1223826">Nucl. Production Hydrogen: Second Information Exchange Meeting</a></em> 
		(O.E.C.D. Nucl. Energy Agency)
	 279</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				The CO<sub>2</sub> is cooled down to almost the critical pressure and temperature. This heats the seawater at compressor #1.</div></div><p class="quotations"><span class="quotationDate" style="display: none;">1879—2004</span><a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44592?print#" class="toggleQuotationsClass" onclick="toggleQuotations(this, &#39;eid139339821&#39;); return false;" id="hideQuotations">(Hide quotations)</a></p></div><div class="bottom" deluminate_imagetype="gif"><div class="corner" deluminate_imagetype="gif">&nbsp;</div></div></div><div class="senseGroup" id="eid139389945" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="top"><div class="corner" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="thesaurusWrapper"><a class="thesaurusRef" href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="javascript:viewThesaurusPopup(this);return false;" rel="th1/67134/75461/79354/79629/79733/79751">Thesaurus »</a></div><div class="categoriesWrapper"><a class="categoriesRef" href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="javascript:viewCategoryPopup(this);return false;" rel="139389945">Categories »</a></div>
							&nbsp;
						</div><h3 id="eid139389945">&nbsp; <span class="lemma" id="eid120044522">critical size</span><span class="almostInvisible" id="eid1265467693" xml:space="preserve"> </span><span xml:space="preserve">&nbsp;</span> <span class="ps">n.</span> <em>Nuclear Physics</em> the minimum mass or size of fissile material required in a nuclear reactor, bomb, etc., to sustain a chain reaction.</h3></div><div class="frame" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="quotationsBlock" id="eid139389950"><div class="quotation" id="eid7819797"><span class="noIndent" id="eid227117862"><span>1940&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  in  M. Gowing <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0035391">Brit. &amp; Atomic Energy 1939–45</a></em> 
		(1964)
	 391</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				For a sphere well above the critical size the loss through neutron escape would be small.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid7819817"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288805"><span>1945&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0473808">Statements relating to the Atomic Bomb</a></em> 
		(H.M.S.O.)
	 16</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				This estimate was very rough and the critical size was known only to a factor of three.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid7819835"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288811"><span>1958&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">J. Cleugh</span> tr.  R. Jungk <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0135498">Brighter than Thousand Suns</a></em> xii. 191</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				The determination of this ‘critical size’—referred to simply as ‘crit’ in the Los Alamos jargon—had been one of the chief problems studied by the theoretical department.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid139389951"><span class="noIndent" id="eid292502708"><span>1978&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">G. C. Hill</span>  &amp; <span class="smallCaps">J. S. Holman</span> <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0214583">Chem. in Context</a></em> vi. 74</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				In an atomic bomb two pieces of pure U-235 or Pu-239 each below the critical size are brought together to form one piece larger than the critical size.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid139389961"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288827"><span>2002&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0051547">N.Y. Rev. Bks.</a></em> 7 Nov. 70/2</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				The critical mass..is determined by a competition between escape of neutrons from the surface of the fissionable material and the creation of neutrons in the interior during the fission process. When this competition is a ‘draw’—as many neutrons are created as escape—you have reached the critical size.</div></div><p class="quotations"><span class="quotationDate" style="display: none;">1940—2002</span><a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44592?print#" class="toggleQuotationsClass" onclick="toggleQuotations(this, &#39;eid139389950&#39;); return false;" id="hideQuotations">(Hide quotations)</a></p></div><div class="bottom" deluminate_imagetype="gif"><div class="corner" deluminate_imagetype="gif">&nbsp;</div></div></div><div class="senseGroup" id="eid139339840" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="top"><div class="corner" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="thesaurusWrapper"><a class="thesaurusRef" href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="javascript:viewThesaurusPopup(this);return false;" rel="th1/67134/67135/70879/70904/70920/70939/70942">Thesaurus »</a></div><div class="categoriesWrapper"><a class="categoriesRef" href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="javascript:viewCategoryPopup(this);return false;" rel="139339840">Categories »</a></div>
							&nbsp;
						</div><h3 id="eid139339840">&nbsp; <span class="lemma" id="eid139339841">critical state</span><span class="almostInvisible" id="eid1265467696" xml:space="preserve"> </span><span xml:space="preserve">&nbsp;</span> <span class="ps">n.</span> the state of a substance when it is at its critical temperature and critical pressure.</h3></div><div class="frame" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="quotationsBlock" id="eid139339844"><div class="quotation" id="eid139389969"><span class="noIndent" id="eid227117870"><span>1880&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0295016">Proc. Royal Soc.</a></em> <strong>30</strong> 182</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				The solubility of chloride of calcium in alcohol was found to be uninterrupted by the passage of the alcohol through the critical state.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid139339845"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288839"><span>1899&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">T. O'C. Sloane</span> <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0135489">Liquid Air</a></em> i. 20</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				When a gas is at the critical temperature and at the critical pressure also, the least increase of pressure or decrease of temperature will convert it into a liquid. When in this condition, ready to be a gas or a liquid, it is said to be in the critical state.</div></div><p class="quotations"><span class="quotationDate" style="display: none;">1880—1899</span><a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44592?print#" class="toggleQuotationsClass" onclick="toggleQuotations(this, &#39;eid139339844&#39;); return false;" id="hideQuotations">(Hide quotations)</a></p></div><div class="bottom" deluminate_imagetype="gif"><div class="corner" deluminate_imagetype="gif">&nbsp;</div></div></div><div class="senseGroup" id="eid139339853" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="top"><div class="corner" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="thesaurusWrapper"><a class="thesaurusRef" href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="javascript:viewThesaurusPopup(this);return false;" rel="th1/67134/67135/70879/70904/70920/70939/70940">Thesaurus »</a></div><div class="categoriesWrapper"><a class="categoriesRef" href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="javascript:viewCategoryPopup(this);return false;" rel="139339853">Categories »</a></div>
							&nbsp;
						</div><h3 id="eid139339853">&nbsp; <span class="lemma" id="eid120044518">critical temperature</span><span class="almostInvisible" id="eid1265467699" xml:space="preserve"> </span><span xml:space="preserve">&nbsp;</span> <span class="ps">n.</span> for any particular substance, that temperature above which it remains in the gaseous state and cannot be liquefied by any amount of pressure.</h3></div><div class="frame" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="quotationsBlock" id="eid139339856"><div class="quotation" id="eid7819676"><span class="noIndent" id="eid227117876"><span>1869&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">T. Andrews</span> in  <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0135484">Philos. Trans.</a></em> 
		(Royal Soc.)
	 <strong>159</strong> 583</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				Below the critical temperature this distinction is easily seen to have taken place.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid139339857"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288853"><span>1879&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0004448">Encycl. Brit.</a></em> VIII. 732/1</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				Clerk Maxwell has calculated that the critical temperature for water should be about 434° C., the critical pressure about 378 atmospheres, and the critical volume about 2·52 cubic [<em>printed</em> cubit] centimetres per gramme.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid139339867"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288859"><span>1899&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">T. O'C. Sloane</span> <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0135489">Liquid Air</a></em> i. 20</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				When a gas is at the critical temperature and at the critical pressure also, the least increase of pressure or decrease of temperature will convert it into a liquid.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid7819782"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288865"><span>1947&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0007498">Sci. News</a></em> <strong>5</strong> 164</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				No amount of compressing will liquefy it [<em>sc.</em> a gas] as long as it is hotter than this critical temperature.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid139389977"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288871"><span>1961&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">N. C. Breddy</span> <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0948188">Introd. Refrigeration</a></em> iii. 25</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				The critical temperature of a refrigerant is that at which the enthalpy of both liquid and vapour are the same with no latent heat.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid139389985"><span class="noIndent" id="eid286768500"><span>2001&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">R. W. Cahn</span> <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0072936">Coming of Materials Sci.</a></em> xi. 432</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				A <em>critical temperature</em> exists for a particular gas below which a gas can be condensed to a two-phase system of vapour and liquid, whereas above it there can only be a homogeneous fluid phase.</div></div><p class="quotations"><span class="quotationDate" style="display: none;">1869—2001</span><a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44592?print#" class="toggleQuotationsClass" onclick="toggleQuotations(this, &#39;eid139339856&#39;); return false;" id="hideQuotations">(Hide quotations)</a></p></div><div class="bottom" deluminate_imagetype="gif"><div class="corner" deluminate_imagetype="gif">&nbsp;</div></div></div><div class="senseGroup" id="eid139339875" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="top"><div class="corner" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="thesaurusWrapper"><a class="thesaurusRef" href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="javascript:viewThesaurusPopup(this);return false;" rel="th1/67134/67135/70879/70904/70920/70939/70943">Thesaurus »</a></div><div class="categoriesWrapper"><a class="categoriesRef" href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="javascript:viewCategoryPopup(this);return false;" rel="139339875">Categories »</a></div>
							&nbsp;
						</div><h3 id="eid139339875">&nbsp; <span class="lemma" id="eid139339876">critical volume</span><span class="almostInvisible" id="eid1265467702" xml:space="preserve"> </span><span xml:space="preserve">&nbsp;</span> <span class="ps">article</span> the volume of unit mass of a substance at its critical temperature and pressure.</h3></div><div class="frame" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="quotationsBlock" id="eid139339879"><div class="quotation" id="eid139339880"><span class="noIndent" id="eid227117885"><span>1879&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0004448">Encycl. Brit.</a></em> VIII. 732/1</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				Clerk Maxwell has calculated that the critical temperature for water should be about 434° C., the critical pressure about 378 atmospheres, and the critical volume about 2·52 cubic [<em>printed</em> cubit] centimetres per gramme.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid139389994"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288889"><span>1912&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0127571">Proc. Royal Soc.</a></em> A. <strong>86</strong> 584</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				Xenon has..a smaller critical volume and a greater critical density than anyother substance so far investigated.</div></div><p class="quotations"><span class="quotationDate" style="display: none;">1879—1912</span><a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44592?print#" class="toggleQuotationsClass" onclick="toggleQuotations(this, &#39;eid139339879&#39;); return false;" id="hideQuotations">(Hide quotations)</a></p></div><div class="bottom" deluminate_imagetype="gif"><div class="corner" deluminate_imagetype="gif">&nbsp;</div></div></div></div></div><div xmlns:m="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:fn="http://www.w3.org/2005/xpath-functions" xmlns:ms="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:xslt" xmlns:dt="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:datatypes" xmlns:avail="java:com.oup.oed.DocExistence" xmlns:util="java:com.oup.oed.Util" class="revSect entryBase" id="eid115345467"><h3 class="revSectType">
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							&nbsp;
						</div><h3 id="eid115345468">&nbsp; <span class="lemma" id="eid115345469">critical care</span> <span class="ps">n.</span> <em>Medicine</em> (orig. <em>North American</em>) specialized medical care for patients with acute, life-threatening conditions; the ward or wing of a hospital where such treatment takes place; frequently <em>attributive</em>, esp. in  <span class="lemma" id="eid115345474">critical care unit</span>; cf. <a class="crossReferencePopup" rev="/view/Entry/97480#eid227409" rel="97480" href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/97480#eid227409" onclick="javascript:window.location = this.href;" onmouseover="javascript:viewCrossReferencePopup(this,&#39;/view/Entry/97480#eid227409&#39;);return false;" onfocus="javascript:viewCrossReferencePopup(this,&#39;/view/Entry/97480#eid227409&#39;);return false;" onmouseout="javascript:stopCrossReferencePopup(this);return false;"><span class="xref"><em>intensive care</em> at <span class="smallCaps">intensive</span> <span class="ps">adj.</span> 8</span></a>.</h3></div><div class="frame" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="quotationsBlock" id="eid115345476"><div class="quotation" id="eid115345477"><span class="noIndent" id="eid227117891"><span>1959&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0241034">Chron.-Telegram 
		(<span class="roman">Elyria, Ohio</span>)
	</a></em> 2 July 15/8</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				Critical care unit which would provide services similar to those in a recovery room.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid115345486"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288903"><span>1971&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="1041686">Amer. Jrnl. Nursing</a></em> <strong>71</strong> 2374/2</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				The nurse who assumes responsibility for the cardiovascular patient during his acute illness must be an expert in critical care.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid115345494"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288909"><span>1986&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">S. J. Youngner</span> <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="1028128">Human Values in Crit. Care Med.</a></em> 140</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				The critical care nurse is literally at the bedside on a continuous basis.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid115345511"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288922"><span>2006&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0102800">Gold Coast Bull. 
		(<span class="roman">Austral.</span>)
	</a></em> 
		(Nexis)
	 7 June 4</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				Their two-year-old son..is stable but remains in critical care at the Royal Children's Hospital.</div></div><p class="quotations"><span class="quotationDate" style="display: none;">1959—2006</span><a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44592?print#" class="toggleQuotationsClass" onclick="toggleQuotations(this, &#39;eid115345476&#39;); return false;" id="hideQuotations">(Hide quotations)</a></p></div><div class="bottom" deluminate_imagetype="gif"><div class="corner" deluminate_imagetype="gif">&nbsp;</div></div></div></div><div xmlns:m="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:fn="http://www.w3.org/2005/xpath-functions" xmlns:ms="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:xslt" xmlns:dt="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:datatypes" xmlns:avail="java:com.oup.oed.DocExistence" xmlns:util="java:com.oup.oed.Util" class="revSect entryBase" id="eid139202497"><h3 class="revSectType">
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							&nbsp;
						</div><h3 id="eid139202498">&nbsp; <span class="lemma" id="eid139202499">critical flicker frequency</span><span class="almostInvisible" id="eid1265467705" xml:space="preserve"> </span><span xml:space="preserve">&nbsp;</span> <span class="ps">n.</span> <em>Physiology</em> and <em>Optics</em> the value of the flicker frequency at which a light source passes from being seen as flickering, to being seen as steady, as the flicker frequency is increased; = <a class="crossReferencePopup" rev="/view/Entry/71571#eid4093641" rel="71571" href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/71571#eid4093641" onclick="javascript:window.location = this.href;" onmouseover="javascript:viewCrossReferencePopup(this,&#39;/view/Entry/71571#eid4093641&#39;);return false;" onfocus="javascript:viewCrossReferencePopup(this,&#39;/view/Entry/71571#eid4093641&#39;);return false;" onmouseout="javascript:stopCrossReferencePopup(this);return false;"><span class="xref"><em>flicker-fusion frequency</em> <span class="ps">n.</span> at <span class="smallCaps">flicker</span> <span class="ps">n.<sup>3</sup></span> Compounds 2</span></a>, <a class="crossReferencePopup" rev="/view/Entry/75786#eid3341799" rel="75786" href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/75786#eid3341799" onclick="javascript:window.location = this.href;" onmouseover="javascript:viewCrossReferencePopup(this,&#39;/view/Entry/75786#eid3341799&#39;);return false;" onfocus="javascript:viewCrossReferencePopup(this,&#39;/view/Entry/75786#eid3341799&#39;);return false;" onmouseout="javascript:stopCrossReferencePopup(this);return false;"><span class="xref"><em>fusion frequency</em> <span class="ps">n.</span> at <span class="smallCaps">fusion</span> <span class="ps">n.</span> Compounds 2</span></a>.<span class="note" id="eid139202518">In general the brighter the source, the higher the critical flicker frequency.</span></h3></div><div class="frame" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="quotationsBlock" id="eid139202519"><div class="quotation" id="eid198025098"><span class="noIndent" id="eid227117898"><span>1909&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0762694">Illuminating Engin.</a></em> <strong>4</strong> 717</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				<em>f</em> is the critical flicker frequency.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid139202520"><span class="noIndent" id="eid198025121"><span>1922&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0458287">Jrnl. Optical Soc. Amer.</a></em> <strong>6</strong> 7</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				The substantial independence of critical flicker frequency upon chroma is..the basis of the critical frequency method of heterochromatic photometry.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid139202528"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288943"><span>2007&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">D. Häussinger</span>  &amp; <span class="smallCaps">A. T. Blei</span> in  J. Rodes et al.  <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="1306635">Textbk. Hepatol.</a></em> 
		(ed. 3)
	 I.  <span class="smallCaps">vii.</span> viii. 745/1</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				Determination of the critical flicker frequency threshold could be an objective and reproducible technique for assessment of..hepatic encephalopathy.</div></div><p class="quotations"><span class="quotationDate" style="display: none;">1909—2007</span><a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44592?print#" class="toggleQuotationsClass" onclick="toggleQuotations(this, &#39;eid139202519&#39;); return false;" id="hideQuotations">(Hide quotations)</a></p></div><div class="bottom" deluminate_imagetype="gif"><div class="corner" deluminate_imagetype="gif">&nbsp;</div></div></div></div><div xmlns:m="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:fn="http://www.w3.org/2005/xpath-functions" xmlns:ms="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:xslt" xmlns:dt="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:datatypes" xmlns:avail="java:com.oup.oed.DocExistence" xmlns:util="java:com.oup.oed.Util" class="revSect entryBase" id="eid139202545"><h3 class="revSectType">
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							&nbsp;
						</div><h3 id="eid139202546">&nbsp; <span class="lemma" id="eid139202547">critical opalescence</span><span class="almostInvisible" id="eid1265467708" xml:space="preserve"> </span><span xml:space="preserve">&nbsp;</span> <span class="ps">n.</span>
				&nbsp;[compare German <em>kritische Opaleszenz</em> (1903 or earlier)]
			 <em>Physics</em> the sudden onset of cloudiness as a clear uniform mixture, typically of two fluids, is cooled to near its critical temperature.<span class="note" id="eid139202552">As the mixture cools below this temperature, it forms separate phases.</span><span class="note" id="eid1264778320">The classical description of the phenomenon is by T. Andrews in  <em>Philos. Trans.</em> (Royal Soc.) (<span>1869</span>)  <strong>159</strong> 575–80.</span></h3></div><div class="frame" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="quotationsBlock" id="eid139202558"><div class="quotation" id="eid139202559">[<span class="noIndent" id="eid198025127"><span>1906&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0127571">Proc. Royal Soc.</a></em> A. <strong>78</strong> 252</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				The explanation of the appearance of opalescence at the critical temperature.]
			</div><div class="quotation" id="eid200482340"><span class="noIndent" id="eid227117904"><span>1908&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0008275">Jrnl. Chem. Soc.</a></em> <strong>93</strong> 1002</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				In the neighbourhood of the lower critical solution-point, a distinct critical opalescence was observed.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid139202577"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288971"><span>1959&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">K. R. Atkins</span> <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0373307">Liquid Helium</a></em> ii. 51</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				Density fluctuations in the vicinity of a critical point are known to give rise to the striking phenomenon of critical opalescence.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid139202585"><span class="noIndent" id="eid155288977"><span>2004&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">S. Jean</span>  &amp; <span class="smallCaps">V. Koch</span> in  R. C. Hwa  &amp; X.-N. Wang <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="1306639">Quark–Gluon Plasma 3</a></em> 432</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				The well known phenomenon of critical opalescence is a result of fluctuations..due to a second order phase transition.</div></div><p class="quotations"><span class="quotationDate" style="display: none;">1908—2004</span><a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44592?print#" class="toggleQuotationsClass" onclick="toggleQuotations(this, &#39;eid139202558&#39;); return false;" id="hideQuotations">(Hide quotations)</a></p></div><div class="bottom" deluminate_imagetype="gif"><div class="corner" deluminate_imagetype="gif">&nbsp;</div></div></div></div><div xmlns:m="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:fn="http://www.w3.org/2005/xpath-functions" xmlns:ms="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:xslt" xmlns:dt="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:datatypes" xmlns:avail="java:com.oup.oed.DocExistence" xmlns:util="java:com.oup.oed.Util" class="revSect entryBase" id="eid1213062240"><h3 class="revSectType">
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						</div><h3 id="eid1213062250">&nbsp; <span class="lemma" id="eid1213062260">critical period</span><span class="almostInvisible" id="eid1265467711" xml:space="preserve"> </span><span xml:space="preserve">&nbsp;</span> <span class="ps">n.</span> 
		&nbsp;<span id="eid1215096330"><em>(a) </em><em>Botany</em> a daily period of light or darkness required to stimulate flowering in a plant (= <a class="crossReferencePopup" rev="/view/Entry/142870#eid30411937" rel="142870" href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/142870#eid30411937" onclick="javascript:window.location = this.href;" onmouseover="javascript:viewCrossReferencePopup(this,&#39;/view/Entry/142870#eid30411937&#39;);return false;" onfocus="javascript:viewCrossReferencePopup(this,&#39;/view/Entry/142870#eid30411937&#39;);return false;" onmouseout="javascript:stopCrossReferencePopup(this);return false;"><span class="xref"><span class="smallCaps">photoperiod</span> <span class="ps">n.</span></span></a>;</span>
		&nbsp;<span id="eid1213062280"><em>(b) </em><em>Biology</em> a period of life, esp. embryonic or fetal life, during which development may be altered irrevocably, typically by the presence or absence of some external or internal factor;</span>
		&nbsp;<span id="eid1213062290"><em>(c) </em><em>Biology</em> and <em>Psychology</em> a period of (usually early) life during which certain types of learning, esp. imprinting and socialization, must occur or occur most easily.</span></h3></div><div class="frame" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="quotationsBlock" id="eid1213062230"><div class="quotation" id="eid997728601"><span class="noIndent" id="eid997728611"><span>1938&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0120460">Bot. Gaz.</a></em> <strong>99</strong> 621</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				If short-day plants are grown at day lengths..below the critical period..their vegetativeness is concurrently decreased.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid997728621"><span class="noIndent" id="eid997728631"><span>1967&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0019318">Brit. Jrnl. Psychiatry</a></em> <strong>113</strong> 923/1</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				I should like to offer a testable theory on how the male child might have incorrect hormone levels at the ‘critical period’ when his sex-controlling centre is maturing.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid997728641"><span class="noIndent" id="eid997728651"><span>1970&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0565618">Primate Behavior</a></em> I. 130</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				Imprinting data suggest that in birds early experiences before or during a critical period can influence social attachment in a relatively permanent fashion.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid997728681"><span class="noIndent" id="eid997728691"><span>1992&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0203784">Appl. Linguistics</a></em> <strong>13</strong> 290</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				Second language researchers have long speculated on critical periods and fossilization (i.e. when individuals cease to improve their second language proficiency beyond a certain point).</div><div class="quotation" id="eid997728701"><span class="noIndent" id="eid997728711"><span>1999&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0069273">Nature</a></em> 29 July 419/3</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				The critical period for thalidomide-induced typical limb malformations (amelia and phocomelia) is very early.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid1001579051"><span class="noIndent" id="eid1001579061"><span>2007&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="1430124">New Yorker</a></em> 19 Nov. 56/3</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				The idea was that the fetus set its metabolic thermostat during critical periods of gestation.</div></div><p class="quotations"><span class="quotationDate" style="display: none;">1938—2007</span><a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44592?print#" class="toggleQuotationsClass" onclick="toggleQuotations(this, &#39;eid1213062230&#39;); return false;" id="hideQuotations">(Hide quotations)</a></p></div><div class="bottom" deluminate_imagetype="gif"><div class="corner" deluminate_imagetype="gif">&nbsp;</div></div></div></div><div xmlns:m="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:fn="http://www.w3.org/2005/xpath-functions" xmlns:ms="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:xslt" xmlns:dt="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:datatypes" xmlns:avail="java:com.oup.oed.DocExistence" xmlns:util="java:com.oup.oed.Util" class="revSect entryBase" id="eid1223736790"><h3 class="revSectType">
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						</div><h3 id="eid1223736800">&nbsp; <span class="lemma" id="eid1223736810">critical path analysis</span><span class="almostInvisible" id="eid1265467714" xml:space="preserve"> </span><span class="almostInvisible" id="eid1265467715" xml:space="preserve"> </span><span xml:space="preserve">&nbsp;</span> <span class="ps">n.</span> 
		(also <strong id="eid1223736840">critical path method</strong>; also with capital initials)
	 the system of planning complex processes whose components take time and have to be conducted in a given sequence, by calculating the longest path of planned activities to the end of the project, and the earliest and latest that each activity can start and finish without extending the project.</h3></div><div class="frame" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="quotationsBlock" id="eid1223736780"><div class="quotation" id="eid1015214821"><span class="noIndent" id="eid1015214831"><span>1959&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">J. E. Kelley</span>  &amp; <span class="smallCaps">M. R. Walker</span> <em>Critical-Path Planning &amp; Scheduling</em> in  <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="25247120">Proc. Eastern Joint Computer Conf. (IRE-AIEE-ACM)</a></em> 171/2</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				The basic assumption that underlies the Critical-Path Method, as developed thus far, is that adequate resources are available to implement any computed schedule.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid1015214841"><span class="noIndent" id="eid1015214851"><span>1990&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0024652">Guardian</a></em> 
		(Nexis)
	 8 Nov.</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				IT people..can control great projects through critical path analysis.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid1015214901"><span class="noIndent" id="eid1015214911"><span>2015&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">S. A. Devaux</span> <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="25247152">Managing Projects as Investm.</a></em> iv. 61</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				The more variances from plan that there are, the more valuable critical path analysis is for measuring impacts and making decisions.</div></div><p class="quotations"><span class="quotationDate" style="display: none;">1959—2015</span><a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44592?print#" class="toggleQuotationsClass" onclick="toggleQuotations(this, &#39;eid1223736780&#39;); return false;" id="hideQuotations">(Hide quotations)</a></p></div><div class="bottom" deluminate_imagetype="gif"><div class="corner" deluminate_imagetype="gif">&nbsp;</div></div></div></div><div xmlns:m="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:fn="http://www.w3.org/2005/xpath-functions" xmlns:ms="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:xslt" xmlns:dt="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:datatypes" xmlns:avail="java:com.oup.oed.DocExistence" xmlns:util="java:com.oup.oed.Util" class="revSect entryBase" id="eid1244228740"><h3 class="revSectType">
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						</div><h3 id="eid1244228750">&nbsp; <span class="lemma" id="eid1244228760">critical thinking</span> <span class="ps">n.</span> the objective, systematic, and rational analysis and evaluation of factual evidence in order to form a judgement on a subject, issue, etc.</h3></div><div class="frame" deluminate_imagetype="unknown"><div class="quotationsBlock" id="eid1244228730"><div class="quotation" id="eid1015987171"><span class="noIndent" id="eid1015987181"><span>1815&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="25046210">Crit. Rev.</a></em> May 501</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				It contains a very fine general character of Lucretius, as a poet, written with great power of language, candid discrimination, and original strength of critical thinking.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid1015987211"><span class="noIndent" id="eid1015987221"><span>1967&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <span class="smallCaps">H. Grobman</span> in  A. C. Ornstein <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="0541856">Accountability for Teachers</a></em> 
		(1973)
	 ii. 28</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				Schools must..deal with demands for the development of such intellectual skills as..critical thinking.</div><div class="quotation" id="eid1015987231"><span class="noIndent" id="eid1015987241"><span>2015&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>  <em><a class="sourcePopup" onclick="viewSourcePopup(this);" href="javascript:void(0)" rel="3362666">Wall St. Jrnl.</a></em> 9 May  <span class="smallCaps">a</span>12/3</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;
				Comprehensive sexuality education..fosters critical thinking on gender norms and human rights.</div></div><p class="quotations"><span class="quotationDate" style="display: none;">1815—2015</span><a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44592?print#" class="toggleQuotationsClass" onclick="toggleQuotations(this, &#39;eid1244228730&#39;); return false;" id="hideQuotations">(Hide quotations)</a></p></div><div class="bottom" deluminate_imagetype="gif"><div class="corner" deluminate_imagetype="gif">&nbsp;</div></div></div></div><div xmlns:m="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:fn="http://www.w3.org/2005/xpath-functions" xmlns:ms="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:xslt" xmlns:dt="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:datatypes" xmlns:avail="java:com.oup.oed.DocExistence" xmlns:util="java:com.oup.oed.Util" class="entryFooter"><p id="shortPubStatement">This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1893).</p></div><div xmlns:m="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:fn="http://www.w3.org/2005/xpath-functions" xmlns:ms="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:xslt" xmlns:dt="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:datatypes" xmlns:avail="java:com.oup.oed.DocExistence" xmlns:util="java:com.oup.oed.Util" id="datePopupWrapper" style="display: none"><div id="datePopup"><p>
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id="publicationInfoShort"><p>This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1893).</p></div><ul class="publicationInfoLinks"><li id="publicationHistory"><a onclick="showLightbox(&#39;/publicationhistory/44592&#39;, &#39;450&#39;, &#39;300&#39;, &#39;Entry history&#39;);return false;" href="http://www.oed.com/publicationhistory/44592?nojs=true">Entry history</a></li><li id="entryProfile"><a onclick="showLightbox(&#39;/aboutthisentry/44592&#39;, &#39;700&#39;, &#39;500&#39;, &#39;Entry profile&#39;);return false;" href="http://www.oed.com/aboutthisentry/44592?nojs=true">Entry profile</a></li><li>&nbsp;</li><li id="previousVersion"><span>Previous version:</span><br><a id="previousLink" target="oed2" href="http://www.oed.com/oed2/00054177">OED2 (1989)</a></li><!-- <li><a href="#">Submit quotation</a></li> --></ul><h2>In this entry:</h2><ul id="inThisEntry"><li><a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44592?print#eid139339785">critical angle</a></li><li><a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44592?print#eid115345469">critical care</a></li><li><a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44592?print#eid115345474">critical care unit</a></li><li><a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44592?print#eid7819658">critical damping</a></li><li><a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44592?print#eid139202499">critical flicker frequency</a></li><li><a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44592?print#eid206848510">critical idealism</a></li><li><a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44592?print#eid120044521">critical mass</a></li><li><a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44592?print#eid7819928">critical-minded</a></li><li><a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44592?print#eid139202547">critical opalescence</a></li><li><a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44592?print#eid7819485">critical path</a></li><li><a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44592?print#eid1223736810">critical path analysis</a></li><li><a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44592?print#eid1213062260">critical period</a></li><li><a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44592?print#eid120044517">critical point</a></li><li><a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44592?print#eid139339805">critical potential</a></li><li><a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44592?print#eid139339818">critical pressure</a></li><li><a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44592?print#eid120044522">critical size</a></li><li><a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44592?print#eid139339841">critical state</a></li><li><a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44592?print#eid120044518">critical temperature</a></li><li><a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44592?print#eid7819372">critical theory</a></li><li><a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44592?print#eid1244228760">critical thinking</a></li><li><a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44592?print#eid139339876">critical volume</a></li><li><a href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44592?print#eid7819848">go critical, to</a></li></ul><h2>In other dictionaries:</h2><ul class="externalLinks"><li><a target="odo" href="https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/critical" id="odoLinkImg"><img src="./OED_files/OxfordD_Stacked.png" class="odoLinkImage"></a><a target="odo" href="https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/critical" id="odoLink">critical: view definition in Oxford Dictionaries</a><a target="_blank" title="Find out more about the OED and Oxford Dictionaries" class="odoLinkExplanation" href="https://public.oed.com/help/">?</a></li></ul><!-- <ul class="externalLinks"> --><!-- <li class="ext"><a href="#">See quick current definition</a><a href="#"><span class="extLink"></span></a></li> --><!-- </ul> --></div></div><div id="columnOneBottomCap" deluminate_imagetype="png"></div></td><td class="mid-colTwo"><div id="columnTwo"><ul class="contentDropdown " id="savedEntries"><li deluminate_imagetype="png" id=""><a onclick="return false;" href="http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/44592?print">My 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href="http://www.oed.com/viewdictionaryentry.dictionarywordwheel:changesortdate/1553576374105?t:ac=Entry/44592" deluminate_imagetype="png">Date</a></h2><div class="carouselWrap"><div id="carouselTrack"><ul class="carousel"><span id="prevPages"></span><!-- Content for page ${pageIndex} --><ul id="page_0"><li class="striation "><a class="" href="http://www.oed.com/viewdictionaryentry.dictionarywordwheel.view/criterium$002c+n./$002fEntry$002f44583/criterium-100/1631.102682?t:ac=Entry/44592"><span class="headword">criterium, n.</span><span class="year">a1631</span></a></li><li class=""><a class="" href="http://www.oed.com/viewdictionaryentry.dictionarywordwheel.view/crith$002c+n./$002fEntry$002f44584/crith-100/1865.402682?t:ac=Entry/44592"><span class="headword">crith, n.</span><span class="year">1865</span></a></li><li class="striation "><a class="" href="http://www.oed.com/viewdictionaryentry.dictionarywordwheel.view/crithology$002c+n./$002fEntry$002f44585/crithology-100/1656.402682?t:ac=Entry/44592"><span class="headword">crithology, n.</span><span class="year">1656</span></a></li><li class=""><a class="" href="http://www.oed.com/viewdictionaryentry.dictionarywordwheel.view/crithomancy$002c+n./$002fEntry$002f44586/crithomancy-100/1652.402682?t:ac=Entry/44592"><span class="headword">crithomancy, n.</span><span class="year">1652</span></a></li><li class="striation "><a class="" href="http://www.oed.com/viewdictionaryentry.dictionarywordwheel.view/critic$002c+n.1/$002fEntry$002f44587/critic-101/1598.402682?t:ac=Entry/44592"><span class="headword">critic, n.1</span><span class="year">1598</span></a></li><li class=""><a class="" href="http://www.oed.com/viewdictionaryentry.dictionarywordwheel.view/critic$002c+n.2/$002fEntry$002f44588/critic-102/1656.402682?t:ac=Entry/44592"><span class="headword">critic, n.2</span><span class="year">1656</span></a></li><li class="striation "><a class="" href="http://www.oed.com/viewdictionaryentry.dictionarywordwheel.view/critic$002c+adj./$002fEntry$002f44589/critic-130/1543.502682?t:ac=Entry/44592"><span class="headword">critic, adj.</span><span class="year">?1543</span></a></li><li class=""><a class="" href="http://www.oed.com/viewdictionaryentry.dictionarywordwheel.view/critic$002c+v./$002fEntry$002f44590/critic-160/1607.402682?t:ac=Entry/44592"><span class="headword">critic, v.</span><span class="year">1607</span></a></li><li class="striation "><a class="" href="http://www.oed.com/viewdictionaryentry.dictionarywordwheel.view/criticable$002c+adj./$002fEntry$002f44591/criticable-130/1889.402682?t:ac=Entry/44592"><span class="headword">criticable, adj.</span><span class="year">1889</span></a></li><li class=""><a class="current" href="http://www.oed.com/viewdictionaryentry.dictionarywordwheel.view/critical$002c+adj./$002fEntry$002f44592/critical-130/1600.402682?t:ac=Entry/44592"><span class="headword">critical, adj.</span><span class="year">1600</span></a></li><li class="striation "><a class="" href="http://www.oed.com/viewdictionaryentry.dictionarywordwheel.view/criticality$002c+n./$002fEntry$002f44593/criticality-100/1758.402682?t:ac=Entry/44592"><span class="headword">criticality, n.</span><span class="year">1758</span></a></li><li class=""><a class="" href="http://www.oed.com/viewdictionaryentry.dictionarywordwheel.view/critically$002c+adv./$002fEntry$002f44594/critically-190/1654.402682?t:ac=Entry/44592"><span class="headword">critically, adv.</span><span class="year">1654</span></a></li><li class="striation "><a class="" href="http://www.oed.com/viewdictionaryentry.dictionarywordwheel.view/criticalness$002c+n./$002fEntry$002f44595/criticalness-100/1649.402682?t:ac=Entry/44592"><span class="headword">criticalness, n.</span><span class="year">1649</span></a></li><li class=""><a class="" href="http://www.oed.com/viewdictionaryentry.dictionarywordwheel.view/criticaster$002c+n./$002fEntry$002f44596/criticaster-100/1684.402682?t:ac=Entry/44592"><span class="headword">criticaster, n.</span><span class="year">1684</span></a></li><li class="striation "><a class="" href="http://www.oed.com/viewdictionaryentry.dictionarywordwheel.view/criticiasis$002c+n./$002fEntry$002f44597/criticiasis-100/1874.402682?t:ac=Entry/44592"><span class="headword">criticiasis, n.</span><span class="year">1874</span></a></li><li class=""><a class="" href="http://www.oed.com/viewdictionaryentry.dictionarywordwheel.view/criticism$002c+n./$002fEntry$002f44598/criticism-100/1607.402682?t:ac=Entry/44592"><span class="headword">criticism, n.</span><span class="year">1607</span></a></li><li class="striation "><a class="" href="http://www.oed.com/viewdictionaryentry.dictionarywordwheel.view/criticist$002c+n./$002fEntry$002f44599/criticist-100/1889.402682?t:ac=Entry/44592"><span class="headword">criticist, n.</span><span class="year">1889</span></a></li><li class=""><a class="" href="http://www.oed.com/viewdictionaryentry.dictionarywordwheel.view/criticizable$002c+adj./$002fEntry$002f44600/criticizable-130/1863.402682?t:ac=Entry/44592"><span class="headword">criticizable, adj.</span><span class="year">1863</span></a></li><li class="striation "><a class="" href="http://www.oed.com/viewdictionaryentry.dictionarywordwheel.view/criticize$002c+v./$002fEntry$002f44601/criticize-160/1649.402682?t:ac=Entry/44592"><span class="headword">criticize, v.</span><span class="year">1649</span></a></li><li class=""><a class="" href="http://www.oed.com/viewdictionaryentry.dictionarywordwheel.view/criticizer$002c+n./$002fEntry$002f44602/criticizer-100/1680.102682?t:ac=Entry/44592"><span class="headword">criticizer, n.</span><span class="year">a1680</span></a></li></ul><!-- Content for page ${pageIndex} --><ul id="page_1"><li class="striation "><a class="" href="http://www.oed.com/viewdictionaryentry.dictionarywordwheel.view/critickin$002c+n./$002fEntry$002f44603/critickin-100/1834.402682?t:ac=Entry/44592"><span class="headword">critickin, n.</span><span class="year">1834</span></a></li><li class=""><a class="" href="http://www.oed.com/viewdictionaryentry.dictionarywordwheel.view/criticling$002c+n./$002fEntry$002f44604/criticling-100/1756.402682?t:ac=Entry/44592"><span class="headword">criticling, n.</span><span class="year">1756</span></a></li><li class="striation "><a class="" href="http://www.oed.com/viewdictionaryentry.dictionarywordwheel.view/critico-$002c+comb.+form/$002fEntry$002f44605/critico-750/1817.402682?t:ac=Entry/44592"><span class="headword">critico-, comb. form</span><span class="year">1817</span></a></li><li class=""><a class="" href="http://www.oed.com/viewdictionaryentry.dictionarywordwheel.view/criticule$002c+n./$002fEntry$002f44606/criticule-100/1889.402682?t:ac=Entry/44592"><span class="headword">criticule, n.</span><span class="year">1889</span></a></li><li class="striation "><a class="" href="http://www.oed.com/viewdictionaryentry.dictionarywordwheel.view/critique$002c+n./$002fEntry$002f44607/critique-100/1719.102682?t:ac=Entry/44592"><span class="headword">critique, n.</span><span class="year">a1719</span></a></li><li class=""><a class="" href="http://www.oed.com/viewdictionaryentry.dictionarywordwheel.view/critique$002c+v./$002fEntry$002f44608/critique-160/1751.402682?t:ac=Entry/44592"><span class="headword">critique, v.</span><span class="year">1751</span></a></li><li class="striation "><a class="" href="http://www.oed.com/viewdictionaryentry.dictionarywordwheel.view/critism$002c+n./$002fEntry$002f44609/critism-100/1602.402682?t:ac=Entry/44592"><span class="headword">critism, n.</span><span class="year">1602</span></a></li><li class=""><a class="" href="http://www.oed.com/viewdictionaryentry.dictionarywordwheel.view/critling$002c+n./$002fEntry$002f44610/critling-100/1611.402682?t:ac=Entry/44592"><span class="headword">critling, n.</span><span class="year">1611</span></a></li><li class="striation "><a class="" href="http://www.oed.com/viewdictionaryentry.dictionarywordwheel.view/criton$002c+n./$002fEntry$002f44611/criton-100/1388.402682?t:ac=Entry/44592"><span class="headword">criton, n.</span><span class="year">1388</span></a></li><li class=""><a class="" href="http://www.oed.com/viewdictionaryentry.dictionarywordwheel.view/critter$002c+n./$002fEntry$002f44612/critter-100/1815.402682?t:ac=Entry/44592"><span class="headword">critter, n.</span><span class="year">1815</span></a></li><li class="striation "><a class="" href="http://www.oed.com/viewdictionaryentry.dictionarywordwheel.view/crivens$002c+int./$002fEntry$002f44613/crivens-280/1917.402682?t:ac=Entry/44592"><span class="headword">crivens, int.</span><span class="year">1917</span></a></li><li class=""><a class="" href="http://www.oed.com/viewdictionaryentry.dictionarywordwheel.view/crizzle$002c+v./$002fEntry$002f44614/crizzle-160/1639.602682?t:ac=Entry/44592"><span class="headword">crizzle, v.</span><span class="year">c1639</span></a></li><li class="striation "><a class="" href="http://www.oed.com/viewdictionaryentry.dictionarywordwheel.view/cro$002c+n./$002fEntry$002f44615/cro-100/1400.102688?t:ac=Entry/44592"><span class="headword">cro, n.</span><span class="year">a1400</span></a></li><li class=""><a class="" href="http://www.oed.com/viewdictionaryentry.dictionarywordwheel.view/croak$002c+n./$002fEntry$002f44616/croak-100/1573.402688?t:ac=Entry/44592"><span class="headword">croak, n.</span><span class="year">1573</span></a></li><li class="striation "><a class="" href="http://www.oed.com/viewdictionaryentry.dictionarywordwheel.view/croak$002c+v./$002fEntry$002f44617/croak-160/1500.102688?t:ac=Entry/44592"><span class="headword">croak, v.</span><span class="year">a1500</span></a></li><li class=""><a class="" href="http://www.oed.com/viewdictionaryentry.dictionarywordwheel.view/croaker$002c+n./$002fEntry$002f44618/croaker-100/1637.402688?t:ac=Entry/44592"><span class="headword">croaker, n.</span><span class="year">1637</span></a></li><li class="striation "><a class="" href="http://www.oed.com/viewdictionaryentry.dictionarywordwheel.view/croakery$002c+n./$002fEntry$002f44619/croakery-100/1864.402688?t:ac=Entry/44592"><span class="headword">croakery, n.</span><span class="year">1864</span></a></li><li class=""><a class="" href="http://www.oed.com/viewdictionaryentry.dictionarywordwheel.view/croakily$002c+adv./$002fEntry$002f44620/croakily-190/1858.402688?t:ac=Entry/44592"><span class="headword">croakily, adv.</span><span class="year">1858</span></a></li><li class="striation "><a class="" href="http://www.oed.com/viewdictionaryentry.dictionarywordwheel.view/croaking$002c+n./$002fEntry$002f44621/croaking-100/1547.402688?t:ac=Entry/44592"><span class="headword">croaking, n.</span><span class="year">1547</span></a></li><li class=""><a class="" href="http://www.oed.com/viewdictionaryentry.dictionarywordwheel.view/croaking$002c+adj./$002fEntry$002f44622/croaking-130/1608.402688?t:ac=Entry/44592"><span class="headword">croaking, adj.</span><span class="year">1608</span></a></li></ul><span id="nextPages"></span><div class="t-zone" id="nextPageZone"></div></ul></div></div></div></div><!-- This form handles next AND prev pages being dynamically loaded --><form style="display:none" onsubmit="javascript:Tapestry.waitForPage(event);" action="http://www.oed.com/viewdictionaryentry.dictionarywordwheel.nextpageform?t:ac=Entry/44592" method="post" id="nextPageForm" name="nextPageForm"><div class="" style="display: 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